the look for less {lonny}

i immediately fell in love with this space in the last edition of lonny — the look is simple, chic, and easily recreated on a budget. let's do it!

in attempting to recreate the feel of a space, i like to move from floor to ceiling and identify the pieces that really define the room. after painting an accent wall mocha brown, your next step is to recreate the artwork of the space. we'll need to look for something abstract, dark, and dramatic. i like this serigraph by barnett newman ($160) for the mix of clean and rough lines — and the colors are perfect for our room! the only problem is its orientation. the piece in our inspiration room is hung horizontally to echo the shape of the couch. let's break the rules and turn the piece around.

much better! the next piece is a cool mid-century floor lamp with tripod legs and a white drum shade.

i like this lamp from target and the price is definitely right at $100! replace the yellow shade (or don't — i kind of like it!) and you're good to go.

now there's really nothing special about this plain white couch. you might consider slipcovering a piece you already own or scanning your local craigslist for viable options. next bring in a mix of dark and light throw pillows (ikea's ritva covers cost just $6 each!) to add a little depth.

your best bet for the chevron rug is west elm's zigzag rug which comes in a variety of sizes. depending on the size of your space, you could get away with just a runner (2.5' x 7') for under the coffee table, which would set you back just $119.

your splurge for the room will have to be the transparent trunk that absolutely crowns the space. plexicraft's acrylic trunk is an investment at $377 but truly worth it in my opinion. use it to protect your pricey coffee table books or show off your own objets d'art.

the icing on the cake is a little coral accent. i like the look and price of z gallerie's faux coral, which comes in two sizes (one for $20 and the other for $45) and two colors so you can choose the right style for your space.

p.s. the new lonny comes out on june 10. who's reading?